Except I be by Silvia in the night,
There is no mufick in the nightingale;
Unless I look on Silvia in the day,
There is no day for me to look upon;
She is my effence; and I leave to be,
If I be not by her fair influence
Fofter'd, illumin'd, cherish'd, kept alive.
I fly not death, to fly his deadly doom':
Tarry I here, I but attend on death;
But fly I hence, I fly away from life.

Enter Protheus and Launce.

Pre. Run, boy, run, run, and seek him out.
Laun. So-ho! fo-ho!

Pro. What feest thou?

But Valentine, if he be ta'en, must die.
Befides, her interceffion chaf'd him so,
When the for thy repeal was fuppliant,
That to close prifon he commanded her,

5 With many bitter threats of 'biding there. [speak'ft, Val. No more; unless the next word that thou Have fome malignant power upon my life:

If fo, I pray thee, breathe it in mine ear,
As ending anthem of my endless dolour.

Pro. Ceafe to lament for that thou can'ft not help,
And study help for that which thou lament'st.
Time is the nurfe and breeder of all good.
Here if thou ftay, thou can'st not fee thy love;
Befides, thy ftaying will abridge thy life.

Laun. Him we go to find: there's not an hair 15 Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that,

On 's head, but 'tis a Valentine.

Pro. Valentine?

Val. No.

Pro. Who then? his spirit?

Val. Neither.

Pro. What then?

Val. Nothing.

Laun. Can nothing fpeak? Mafter, shall Istrike?
Pro. Whom would'st thou strike?
Laun. Nothing.

Pro. Villain, forbear.

Laun. Why, fir, I'll ftrike nothing: I pray you,-
Pro.Sirrah,I fay,forbear. Friend Valentine, a word.
Val.My ears are ftopp'd,and cannot hear good news,
So much of bad already hath possess'd them.

Pro. Then in dumb filence will I bury mine,
For they are harsh, untuneable, and bad.
Val. Is Silvia dead?

Pro. No, Valentine.

And manage it against despairing thoughts.
Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence
Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd
Even in the milk-white bofom 2 of thy love.
20 The time now ferves not to expoftulate:
Come, I'll convey thee through the city-gate}
And, ere I part with thee, confer at large
Of all that may concern thy love affairs:
As thou lov'ft Silvia, though not for thyself,
25 Regard thy danger, and along with me.

30

Val. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy, Bid him make hafte, and meet me at the north-gate. Pro. Go, firrah, find him out. Come, Valentine. Val. O my dear Silvia! hapless Valentine! [Exeunt Valentine and Protheus. Laun. I am but a fool, look you; and yet I have the wit to think, my mafter is a kind of a knave: but that's all one, if he be but one knave 3. He lives not now, that knows me to be in love:

Val. No Valentine, indeed, for facred Silvia! 35 yet I am in love; but a team of horse shall not Hath the forfworn me?

pluck that from me; nor who 'tis I love, and yet 'tis a woman: but what woman, I will not tell myself, and yet 'tis a milk-maid: yet 'tis not a maid, for fhe hath had goffips 4: yet 'tis a maid, for he is her master's maid, and ferves for wages. She hath more qualities than a water-fpanielwhich is much in a bare chriftian 5. Here is the cat-log [pulling out a paper[ of her conditions.Imprimis, She can fetch and carry. Why, a horse 45 can do no more; nay, a horfe cannot fetch, but only carry; therefore, is the better than a jade,Item, She can milk, look you; a sweet virtue in a maid with clean hands.

Laun. Sir, there's a proclamation that you are 40
Pro. That thou art banish'd, oh, that is the news,
From hence, from Silvia, and from me thy friend.
Val. Oh, I have fed upon this woe already,
And now excefs of it will make me furfeit.
Doth Silvia know that I am banish'd?

Pro. Ay, ay; and she hath offer'd to the doom,
(Which unrevers'd, stands in effectual force)
A fea of melting pearl, which fome call tears;
Those at her father's churlish feet she tender'd;
With them, upon her knees, her humble felf;
Wringing her hands, whofe whitenefs fo became
As if but now they waxed pale for woe: [them,
But neither bended knees, pure hands held up,
Sad fighs, deep groans, nor filver-shedding tears,
Could penetrate her uncompaffionate fire;

1501

155

The phrafe of, to fly bis doom, ufed here for by flying, or in flying, is a gallicifm. The fenfe is, By avoiding the execution of his fentence I fhall not éfcape death. 2 Before the meaning of this addrefs of letters to the bosom of a mistress can be understood, it fhould be known that women anciently had a pocket in the fore part of their stays, in which they not only carried love-letters and love-tokens, but even their money and materials for needle-work. In many parts of England the country girls ftill observe the same practice. 3 One knave may fignify a knave en only one occafion, a fingle knave. We still ufe a double villain for a villain beyond the common rate of guilt. 4 Golfips not only fignify thofe who are fponfors for a child in baptifm, but the tattling women who attend lyings-in.

5 Bare has two feníes; mere and naked. Launce ufes it in both, and opposes the naked female to the water-Spaniel cover'd with airs of remarkable thickness.

D 2

Speed

Speed. Why, man, how black?

Laun. Why, as black as ink.

Speed. Let me read them.

Laun. Fie on thee, jolt-head; thou can'st not read.
Speed. Thou lyeft, I can.

[thee? 5

Laun. I will try thee: Tell me this: Who begot
Speed. Marry, the son of my grandfather.
Laun. O illiterate loiterer! it was the fon of thy
grandmother: this proves, that thou can'st not

Speed. Item, She will often praife ber liquor.
Laun. If her liquor be good, the fhall: if fhe
will not, I will; for good things should be praised.
Speed. Item, She is too liberals.

Laun. Of her tongue she cannot; for that's writ down, fhe is flow of: of her purse she shall not; for that I'll keep fhut: now of another thing the may; and that I cannot help. Well, proceed. Speed. Item, She bath more bair than wit, and more 10 faults than bairs, and more wealth than faults.

15

20

Laun. Stop there; I'll have her: he was mine, and not mine, twice or thrice in that last article: Rehearse that once more.

Speed. Item, She-bath more bair than wit,Laun. More hair than wit,-it may be; I'll prove it: The cover of the salt hides the falt, and therefore it is more than the falt: the hair, that covers the wit, is more than the wit; for the greater hides the lefs. What's next?

Speed. And more faults than bairs

Laun. That's monftrous: Oh, that that were

Laun. That's as much as to say, Baftard virtues; 30 that, indeed, know not their fathers, and therefore have no names.

Speed. Here follow ber vices.

Laun. Clofe at the heels of her virtues.

Speed. Item, She is not to be kiss'd fafting, in re- 35 Spect of ber breath.

Laun. Well, that fault may be mended with a breakfaft: Read on.

Speed. Item, She bath a fweet mouth4.

Speed. What then?

Laun. Why, then will I tell thee,—that thy mafter stays for thee at the north-gate.

Speed. For me?

Laun. For thee? ay; who art thou? he hath ftaid for a better man than thee.

Speed. And muft I go to him?

Laun. Thou must run to him, for thou haft ftaid fo long, that going will scarce ferve the turn. Speed. Why didft not tell me fooner? pox on your love-letters!

Laun. Now will he be swing'd for reading my letter; an unmannerly flave, that will thrust him

Laun. That makes amends for her four breath. 40 felf into fecrets!-I'll after, to rejoice in the boy's

Speed. Item, She doth talk in her fleep.

Laun. It's no matter for that, so the fleep not in her talk.

Speed. Item, She is flow in words.

Laun. O villain! that fet down among her vices 45 To be flow in words, is a woman's only virtue: 1 pray thee, out with't; and place it for her chief virtue.

Speed. Item, She is proud.

Enter Duke and Thurio, and Protheus behind. Duke. Sir Thurio, fear not, but that she will love you,

Now Valentine is banish'd from her fight.

Thu. Since his exile fhe hath despised me most, Forfworn my company, and rail'd at me,

Laun. Out with that too; it was Eve's legacy, 50 That I am defperate of obtaining her. and cannot be taken from her.

Speed. Item, She bath no teeth.

Laun. I care not for that neither, because I love crufts.

Duke. This weak imprefs of love is as a figure
Trenched in ice; which with an hour's heat
Diffolves to water, and doth lose his form.
A little time will melt her frozen thoughts,
55 And worthless Valentine shall be forgot.
How now, fir Protheus? Is your countryman,
According to our proclamation, gone?

1 It is undoubtedly true that the mother only knows the legitimacy of the child. Launce probably infers, that if he could read, he must have read this well known obfervation. 2 St. Nicholas prefided over scholars, who were therefore call'd St. Nicholas's clerks. 3 That is, a flocking. 4 Dr. Johnson is of opinion that sweet mouth implies the fame with what is now vulgarly called a sweet tooth, a luxurious defire of dainties and fweetmeats; while Mr. Steevens believes, that by a sweet mouth is meant that she fings fweetly. 5 Liberal, is licentious and grofs in language. • Gracious, in old language, means graceful. 7 That is, cut, carv'd in ice.

Pro

Pro. Gone, my good lord.

Duke. My daughter takes his going heavily.
Pro. A little time, my lord, will kill that grief.
Duke. So I believe, but Thurio thinks not so.-
Protheus, the good conceit I hold of thee,
(For thou haft fhewn some sign of good defert)
Makes me the better to confer with thee.

Pro. Longer than I prove loyal to your grace,
Let me not live to look upon your grace.

[effect

Duke. And, Protheus, we dare trust you in this Because we know, on Valentine's report, [kind; You are already love's firm votary,

And cannot foon revolt and change your mind.
5 Upon this warrant shall you have access,
Where you with Silvia may confer at large;
For the is lumpish, heavy, melancholy,

And, for your friend's fake, will be glad of you;
Where you may temper her, by your persuasion,

Duke. Thou know'ft, how willingly I would 10 To hate young Valentine, and love my friend.

The match between fir Thurio and my daughter.

Pro. I do, my lord.

Duke. And also, I do think, thou art not ignorant

How the opposes her against my will.

Pro. As much as I can do, I will effect:-
But you, fir Thurio, are not sharp enough;
You must lay lime 3, to tangle her defires,
By wailful fonnets, whofe compofed rhimes

Pre. She did, my lord, when Valentine was here. 15 Should be full fraught with serviceable vows.
Duke. Ay, and perversely she persevers so.
What might we do to make the girl forget
The love of Valentine, and love fir Thurio?
Pro. The best way is, to flander Valentine
With falfhood, cowardice, and poor defcent;
Three things that women highly hold in hate.
Duke. Ay, but she'll think that it is spoke in hate.
Pro. Ay, if his enemy deliver it:
Therefore it must, with circumstance, be spoken
By one, whom the esteemeth as his friend.

Duke. Then you muft undertake to flander him.
Pre. And that, my Lord, I shall be loth to do:
'Tis an ill office for a gentleman;
Especially, against his very friend.

I

[him,

Duke. Ay, much is the force of heaven-bred poefy.
Pro. Say, that upon the altar of her beauty
You facrifice your tears, your fighs, your heart:
Write, till your ink be dry; and with your tears
20 Moift it again; and frame fome feeling line,
That may discover fuch integrity :-
For Orpheus' lute was ftrung with poets' finews;
Whofe golden touch could foften steel and ftones,
Make tygers tame, and huge leviathans
25 Forfake unfounded deeps to dance on fands.
After your dire-lamenting elegies,

Vifit by night your lady's chamber-window
With fome fweet concert: to their inftruments
Tune a deploring dump; the night's dead filence

Duke. Where your good word cannot advantage 30 Will well become fuch sweet complaining grievance.

Your flander never can endamage him;

Therefore the office is indifferent,

Being intreated to it by your friend.

Pro. You have prevail'd, my lord: if I can do it,
By aught that I can fpeak in his difpraise,
She fhall not long continue love to him.
But fay, this weed her love from Valentine,
It follows not that she will love fir Thurio.
Thu. Therefore as you unwind her love from him,|
Left it should ravel, and be good to none,
You must provide to bottom it on me 2:
Which must be done, by praising me as much
As you in worth dispraise fir Valentine.

• Very is immediate. The meaning of this allufion is, As you wind off her love from him, make me the bottom on which you wind it. The women's term for a ball of thread wound upon a central body, is a bottom of thread. 3 That is, birdlime. 4 A dump was the ancient term for a mournful elegy. 5 To inberit, is here used for to obtain possession of, without any idea of acquiring by inheritance. That is, to chufe out. 7 That is, I will excuse you from waiting,

My riches are these poor habiliments,

Of which if you should here disfurnish me,
You take the fum and substance that I have.

2 Out. Whither travel you?

Val. To Verona.

1 Out. Whence came you? Val. From Milan.

3 Out. Have you long fojourn'd there?

Val. Some fixteen months; and longer might have ftaid,

If crooked fortune had not thwarted me.

1 Out, What, were you banish'd thence? Val. I was.

2 Out. For what offence?

Pro. Already have I been false to Valentine,
And now I must be as unjust to Thurio.
Under the colour of commending him,

Val. For that which now torments me to rehearse. 15 I have accefs my own love to prefer;

I kill'd a man, whofe death I much repent;
But yet I flew him manfully in fight,
Without falfe vantage, or base treachery.

1 Out. Why ne'er repent it, if it were done fo: But were you banish'd for fo small a fault?

Val. I was, and held me glad of such a doom. 1 Out. Have you the tongues?

Val. My youthful travel therein made me happy; Or elfe I often had been miferable.

3

[friar,

But Silvia is too fair, too true, too holy,
To be corrupted with my worthless gifts.
When I proteft true loyalty to her,
She twits me with my falfhood to my friend;
2c When to her beauty I commend my vows,
She bids me think, how I have been forfworn
In breaking faith with Julia whom I lov'd:
And, notwithstanding all her fudden quips 3,
The leaft whereof would quell a lover's hope,

Out. By the bare fcalp of Robin Hood's fat 25 Yet, fpaniel-like, the more the fpurns my love, This fellow were a king for our wild faction.

1 Out. We'll have him: firs, a word, Speed. Mafter, be one of them;

[to 30

?

It is a kind of honourable thievery.

Val. Peace, villain!

2 Out. Tell us this; have you any thing to take Val. Nothing but my fortune.

3 Out. Know then, that fome of us are gentlemen,

Such as the fury of ungovern'd youth

35

Thruft from the company of awful' men:
Myfelf was from Verona banished,

For practifing to steal away a lady,
An heir, and niece ally'd unto the duke.

2 Out. And I from Mantua, for a gentleman, Whom, in my mood, I ftabb'd unto the heart.

1 Out. And I, for fuch like petty crimes as thefe. But to the purpose,-(for we cite our faults, That they may hold excus'd our lawless lives) And, partly, feeing you are beautify'd With goodly shape; and by your own report linguist; and a man of fuch perfection, As we do in our quality 2 much want,-

2 Out. Indeed, becaufe you are a banish'd man, Therefore, above the reft, we parley to you: Are you content to be our general?

To make a virtue of neceffity,

And live, as we do, in the wilderness?

3 Out. What fay'ft thou wilt thou be of our
confort?

Say, ay, and be the captain of us all :
We'll do thee homage, and be rul'd by thee,
Love thee as our commander, and our king.

1 Out. But if thou fcorn our courtesy, thou dy'ft.
2 Out. Thou shalt not live to brag what we
have offer'd.

The more it grows, and fawneth on her still.
But here comes Thurio: now muft we to her

window,

And give fome evening mufic to her ear.
Enter Thurio and Muficians.

Thu. How now, fir Protheus? are you crept
before us?
[love

Pro. Ay, gentle Thurio; for, you know, that
Will creep in fervice where it cannot go.

Thu. Ay, but I hope, fir, that you love not here.
Pro. Sir, but I do; or elfe I would be hence,
Thu. Whom? Silvia?

Pro. Ay, Silvia,-for your fake,

Thu. I thank you for your own. Now, gentlemen, 40 Let's tune, and to it luftily a while.

Enter Hoft, at a diftance; and Julia in boy's cloaths. Heft. Now, my young guest! methinks you're allycholly; I pray you, why is it?

Jul. Marry, mine hoft, because I cannot be 45 merry.

Hoft. Come, we'll have you merry: I'll bring you where you shall hear music, and fee the gentleman that you ask`d for.

Jul. But fhall I hear him speak? 50 Heft. Ay, that you shall.

55

Jul. That will be music.

Hoft. Hark! hark!

Jul. Is he among these?

Hoft. Ay but peace, let's hear 'em.

SONG.

Who is Silvia? what is fhe,

That all our frains commend her ?
Holy, fair, and wife is fhe;

60

The beavens fuch grace did lend ber

Val. I take your offer, and will live with you;|

That fhe might admired be.

• Reverend, worshipful, fuch as magiftrates. 2 Quality is nature relatively confidered. 3 That is, hafty paffionate reproaches and scoffs.

Jul. Peace! ftand aside, the company parts.
Pro. Sir Thurio, fear not you; I will fo plead, 40
That you shall say, my cunning drift excels.
Thu. Where meet we?

Pre. At Saint Gregory's well.

Thu. Farewell. [Exeunt Thuris and mufick.
Silvia appears above, at her window.

Pro. Madam, good even to your ladyship.
Sil. I thank you for your mufic, gentlemen:
Who is that, that spake?

• Beyond all reckoning or count. Reckonings are kept upon nicked or notched sticks or tallies.